When Stars Fell
by Lenneia
Summary: The Fayth decide to bring Lenne and Shuyin back to the living world of Spira as spirits. To fully live again, they must save Spira from its past. But when things get rough, the unexpected happens. LennexShuyin, YunaxTidus, possible LennexShuyinxYuna.
1. Prologue: A Strange Discovery

**When Stars Fell** : A Final Fantasy X-2 Fanfiction

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**A/N : **I've been wanting to start a Lenne/Shuyin fanfic for so long... n.n; I got the idea for this one while writing _Dancing All Around Me_, which isn't finished yet, but y'know. When you get new ideas, you just wanna work on 'em before anything else, and that's what happened to me. But don't worry—I'm still gonna work on _Dancing All Around Me_. Again, this idea isn't fully developed yet; I'll most likely end up writing it as I go along, like how I'm doing with DAAM. You guys'll live with it, I guess. :D

**Disclaimer : **I do not claim ownership of Final Fantasy X-2 or any of its characters, concepts, etc.; they belong to Square-Enix. However, any original characters that I have created belong to me.

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**PROLOGUE : A Strange Discovery**

"Hey! Look what I found!" The sound of something metallic colliding with something else ensued the exclamation. The man rummaged through the heap of discarded machina parts before lifting a glowing sphere from the trash.

"A sphere! Here, of all places..."

"Well!" Another man approached the one who had found the sphere. "What a treasure. And it appears fine and undamaged, doesn't it? Think we could activate it and see what's on it?"

"I guess we could try..." The man with the sphere turned the cool, shining object in his dirtied, callused hands before finding the switch. With a resounding click, the sphere glowed brighter and revealed its contents.

At first, they could see nothing but could hear sounds and voices. _"There. See her?" "Yeah. What the hell is she doing?" "I don't know... but we're supposed to kill her."_ Then there was a flash of light, and the sphere revealed a beautiful young woman who seemed to be in her mid-twenties standing in the middle of a circle formed by about ten motionless machina drones. The two men had never seen these drones before. They were old models. Very old. _Ancient,_ in fact.

They watched as the woman in the sphere raised her arms to the sky, lifting her head as if to chant some sort of incantation to the heavens above. The flowing robes she wore seemed to be made of silk and fluttered around her body as the wind grew stronger.

"_What the—?!" "The fuck is she doing?!"_ The image in the sphere shook and tumbled from side to side as the recorder at the time had tried to keep it straight in the confusing situation.

There was a glimpse of a dark sky, broken by streaks of lightning. Then one of the voices again. _"Kill her! Shoot that bitch!"_ The sound of gunfire quickly followed, then a woman's deafening scream pierced the air as everything in the sphere went black.

The man holding the sphere blinked and stared at the now-dark object in his hands. After a moment, he spoke. "Um... that was really..."

"Weird," the other man finished for him.

Another second passed when the man holding the sphere suddenly dropped it and jumped back. The sphere hit the ground unscathed and rolled a little bit away from the two men. The second man looked from the sphere to the man who had just dropped it.

"What's up wit' you?"

"It was burning...! Right after the clip ended, the sphere grew hot and I had to drop it..."

The two men stared at the sphere, which had begun to glow again, but instead of the usual, mellow peach color, it glowed a dark green.

"Damn..." the second man said. "Why's it doin' that?" The man who had previously held the sphere shrugged.

"Should we get near it?"

Silence. Then...

"Nah. Forget it. It's garbage anyway. We don't know exactly what it is that's on it, and if it was thrown in the dump, then it's not useful."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

They eyed the green sphere for another drawn-out minute before turning back to the tedious task of digging through the machina heap for more spare parts.

A couple hours later, as their shift came to an end, the two men prepared to leave. But they didn't forget about the sphere. They spared another glance back to the dull, green sphere just before stepping out of the factory's automatic, metal door.

"You think we should leave it there?"

"Yeah... it'll probably end up gettin' thrown into the Shredder Pile tomorrow. Then it'll be gone."

"Okay."

The factory's lights clicked off, and the establishment fell into darkness but for the glowing dark-green sphere. The two men had left. The factory had been vacated.

If they had stayed a few minutes longer, they might have been able to hear a woman's hideous laughter that now reverberated through the empty factory.

"Thank you... thank you, thank you."

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**A/N :** I know, this is extremely short, but it's all I can do, sadly. ;( I'll try to make the chapters much longer than the ones for _Dancing All Around Me_, though. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think so far! Thank you!


	2. The Summoner's Request

**When Stars Fell** : A Final Fantasy X-2 Fanfiction

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**A/N :** I'm gonna try to make this chapter as long as possible. Must make chapters longer! Oh, and thank you so much to my 2 reviewers! I hope this fanfic'll turn out as good as I'm planning it to be!

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**CHAPTER ONE : The Summoner's Request**

It was two years after Vegnagun, two years after Lenne and Shuyin's reunion, and two years after the star blitzball player Tidus's miraculous return. Life in Besaid was tranquil and everyone—not just in Besaid, but in the rest of Spira, too—was living their lives one day at a time. This, of course, included the former High Summoner and spherehunter Yuna.

When Tidus came back two years ago, she had been happy. More than happy. She recalled the long nights following that, when she had sat with him and told numerous tales of her adventures after being a summoner. She had recounted everything she remembered experiencing with the rest of YuRiPa and the Gullwings: the spheres they had recovered, the people they had met, and the many bizarre and oftentimes outrageous things they had done. She had enjoyed telling him everything.

Now they lived together in Besaid, enjoying life with the friendly inhabitants. Yuna's former guardians Lulu and Wakka lived right next door with their growing young son Vidina. The Besaid Aurochs still practiced every day, and Wakka often watched. Of course, Tidus would join the team and help them practice too, so Yuna would be found observing them often.

Today, however, seemed different—_felt_ different—no matter how normal it appeared. The restless sun had just arisen from its evening nap; its daily journey through the cloudy expanse of sky was still fresh. But its tender, glowing rays managed to filter through the window above Yuna's bed. Their caressing touch greeted the former summoner, cuddled amongst fluffy pillows and massive bedsheets, as she gradually opened dual-colored irises. The remnants of a somewhat disturbed sleep defiantly clung to her hazy eyes, forcing her to remember her dream. Or... at least she _thought_ it was a dream.

Yuna uneasily relived this so-called dream as she lay pondering its meaning.

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She opened her eyes to a beautiful, remarkably alluring place, free yet enclosed. A small field of multicolored flowers blanketed the entire area, a peaceful waterfall glistened to one side. Rocky peaks of low altitude dotted the scenery here and there, making sure not to hinder the darkness looming behind them. Despite the wondrous physique of the place, an eerie prominence existed amid the innocent flowers and fluent water. The very air hung thick with an ominous foreboding that would evoke a shudder from even the bravest soul.

The Farplane Glen.

Yuna looked down to her clothes and hands—she was adorned in her usual Gunner outfit. She breathed a little easier. Although Lenne and Shuyin had already been reunited and at peace, she could never bring herself to forget how the renowned songstress had partially lived through her. How could she even_ think _about forgetting the overwhelmingemotions she had felt on behalf of Lenne in the presence of Shuyin? In the couple years that had elapsed, Yuna remembered everything as if it had all happened yesterday.

And then, ironically, Yuna saw the woman she had just previously been thinking about. The former summoner lifted her gaze only to have it riveted on a shadowy figure slowly emerging from a shower of mist and stars not too far away.

The hazy form stepped into clear view as the mist faded away, revealing a young woman with long, brown hair clad in that familiar blue-violet Songstress attire. The strings of light-colored beads that hung from her ears collided together in soft clacking sounds as the woman moved forward in Yuna's direction.

Yuna, though happy to see an old friend again, stared at Lenne until she approached. When the fabled songstress stood before her, Yuna managed a slight smile. "Lenne. It's good to see you."

Lenne's beautiful young face lit up with an equally dazzling smile. "Yes, I'm glad we could meet again."

An unwanted thought struck Yuna, and she hastily questioned about it. "I'm not... dead... am I?" The four-letter word slipped out hesitantly; Yuna feared that that was what she had become and the reason she now stood in the Farplane Glen.

The songstress laughed, a laugh that rang with the melodies of sweet bells. "No, of course not, Yuna. No, you're very much alive. But I felt the need to talk to you."

Breathing an internal sigh of relief, Yuna tilted her head slightly as she regarded Lenne. "What is it?"

Lenne's smile shifted to one that bore a hint of sad reminiscence as the songstress turned away, walking a few steps from Yuna. After a moment, she spoke, her voice quiet, as if she had been thinking. "Yuna... I have you to thank for bringing me to Shuyin."

"As I've said before, Lenne," Yuna replied, eyeing the woman's back, "you don't have to thank me. I did it because I wanted to."

The songstress laughed a little, her slightly translucent form shimmering with the action. With an almost inaudible sigh, Lenne responded. "Yes, I know. But now, even with Shuyin here in the Farplane, it doesn't feel the same. I find that I am missing life, missing the joys of simply living."

Yuna remained silent, a signal for the woman to continue.

"Our lives were short-lived. We were meant to live for so much more. And yes, that may seem a little conceited in its own way, but..." Lenne turned around, and her eyes locked with Yuna's. "I can't help but feel like there was something that I had to do in my life. Something that I never had the chance to do before."

The spherehunter could only stare back at the woman, finding herself mesmerized by the sadness evident in her eyes. As their gazes remained engaged, Yuna thought she could almost feel Lenne's sorrow.

"Yuna. I know I've been asking of you far too much. And for that, I truly thank you. But now, there is something else I would like for you to help me with."

Yuna finally spoke, beginning to comprehend Lenne's situation. "I'll try my best, but I can't guarantee that I can do what you want me to do."

Lenne smiled once more. "I _know_ that you can help me. What I ask of you is life. Yuna, I wish to live again. I wish to be back in Spira, along with Shuyin."

The former summoner blinked in surprise. "But how—"

Lenne shook her head. "You will know. It is not impossible."

"But Lenne. I thought..." Yuna couldn't complete her statement because at that precise moment, the songstress's silvery image wavered, faltering until it faded into a shower of stars. The former summoner was left with Lenne's request and a lasting image of the famed woman's trustful smile.

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A wispy sigh escaped parted lips as Yuna tossed the blankets and bedsheets away from her, preparing to get out of bed. The dream had plagued her most of the night, stealing any other dreams she had had the potential to have away. And now she had no choice but to think about it. Surely it couldn't be real...

Yuna paused before pushing herself off of the soft cushioning of her bed. She glanced out the window, which had allowed the small tent to be flooded with the early morning sunlight. Already, she could see the island people out working or simply enjoying the beautiful weather. Her gaze shifted to the bed opposite hers. The bedsheets were ruffled, wrinkled into disorder. Yuna smiled. _I guess he woke up pretty early._

She proceeded to make Tidus's bed. After placing the pillow in a position she saw fit, she patted the bed and made her way to the bathroom. Once she had freshened up, she stepped out of the tent in that familiar Gunner uniform, only without the guns or the belt that usually held a pouch to her waist.

Stretching her arms out in the sunlight that bathed over her, Yuna surveyed the little town with some interest. She searched the faces that passed, hoping to see one that she recognized; namely, Tidus or Lulu or Wakka. Or even one of the blitzers. After searching for a minute or so, her dual-colored eyes fixated upon a head of disheveled blond hair. _Aha! There you are._

Yuna decisively walked over towards Tidus, who was talking to one of the Besaid inhabitants, an older man of sorts. When she approached, she caught the last bit of conversation between the two men.

"Yeah, thanks. I owe you one," the blond blitzer was saying.

"You're welcome. After all, you're a favorite customer of mine; I wouldn't mind doing anything for ya!" The older man spoke in a rather gruff voice, and when he noticed Yuna, he cleared his throat, bowed to her, and left.

Tidus rubbed the back of his head with a gloved hand, propping his other hand onto his hip as he shifted his weight to one leg. He grinned at her. "Hey. I see you've finally decided to wake up."

Yuna grinned back, playfully slapping his arm. "Yeah, and I had to make your bed for you! Try doing it yourself before you leave the tent."

He laughed and mock-winced as though in pain. "Ow! That hurt, Yuna. You've gotta give me a break every once in a while... you can't expect someone like me to do stuff like that."

She smiled at him, placing her hands together behind her back as she turned from side to side innocently in that special way of hers. She tilted her head up at him, assuming the sweetest expression she could muster, and inquired about what had happened before she had approached. "Tidus, what were you and that man talking about?"

Tidus smiled uneasily, quickly improvising something without revealing the truth. "Ah, you know... just stuff. Mainly... blitzball stuff."

Yuna was more than unconvinced at his response, but she decided to settle with it. After all, it couldn't be that important. She broke into a smile that shifted to laughter as she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. In turn, he wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the embrace.

"I missed you in my dreams last night..." Yuna said, her words slightly muffled in his shoulder.

The two remained interlocked in each other's arms for a few minutes more before Yuna pulled back, disengaging her arms from around his neck. She eyed his face, then decided she had to relate to him the dream she had had the night before.

"Tidus, I had the weirdest dream last night. It seemed so real."

The blitzball star gazed down at the one woman he loved more than anything else in Spira, a questioning look in his eyes. "What was it about?"

"Lenne. It was about Lenne." Yuna looked down, recalling the dream. "I was in the Farplane Glen, and she came. She said I wasn't dead, but she wanted to talk to me. She said she wants to live again, and she wants me to help her." She lifted her eyes back up to her lover's face, hoping to find some sort of answer from him.

He placed a gloved hand on Yuna's cheek, his thumb gently caressing her smooth skin. "Yuna, it was a dream. But if you feel that Lenne really did come to you purposefully and asked for your help, then... you should."

Yuna gazed up at him resolutely, and she nodded. "Right. Except... I can't figure out how I'm going to help her. The dead cannot return from the Farplane... can they?"

He dropped his hand from her face and lifted his head in thought for a moment. Then he replied, "Maybe. I'm not exactly sure."

The former summoner looked down, obviously trying to find a solution. The two stood there for a few minutes before Yuna suddenly looked up at Tidus. "I've got it! Tidus, do you think that maybe the Fayth can help?"

His interest piqued, Tidus scanned Yuna's face. "That's possible. But... how?"

She bit her lower lip. "I don't know, but I'm going to ask them."

"And how are you going to do that? You don't think we're going to have to travel to Guadosalam..."

Yuna shook her head. "No, we don't have to leave Besaid. I'm going to try to reach the Fayth through my dreams."

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That night, after kissing Tidus goodnight, Yuna flipped the switch to turn off the lamp by her bed, and she shifted around until she was comfortable under her blanket. She stared up at the ceiling for a long time; she lost track of exactly how long she had stayed awake, but after falling into the moonlight's spell, she drifted into sleep.

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"Where... am I?" Yuna found herself in a completely dark place. Everything around her was black, empty, and spaceless. She blinked, trying to focus on something—anything—in the neverending dark, but to no avail.

She was on her feet. Turning around and around, she saw nothing, still. Shivering, she rubbed her upper arms, glancing around apprehensively. "Hello...? Is anyone there?"

When she didn't receive any sort of response, Yuna closed her eyes (which didn't make much of a difference) and thought in her mind, calling out to the Fayth. After praying for a minute, she opened her eyes to see the Fayth standing before her. That same child dressed in blue with a hooded face.

"Lady Yuna, you wish to speak?"

Yuna nodded. "Yes."

The Fayth waved an arm, and at the motion, the darkness cleared into an open field of mellow grasses. Yuna looked about her, seeing nothing but the incessant stretch of grass. She looked back to the Fayth.

"I seek your help in something that has come to me in my dreams. It is about Lenne. She met with me, asking me to help her in letting her and her lover live again."

The Fayth was silent for a moment. "Lady Yuna, what Lenne asks of you, and what you, in turn, ask is a high price."

Yuna clutched her hands together. "Yes, I know, but this is what she wants. This is what she wishes for. And I want to help her."

"The spirits want and wish for everything. But that does not mean that they will get what they wish for."

Yuna refused to give up so easily. Not now. "Yes... that is true, but for Lenne and Shuyin, for me, I request that you grant this one wish."

The Fayth stood for yet another moment, as if contemplating over the matter. Finally, the silence broke.

"Fine. I shall let Lenne and Shuyin return to Spira."

The former summoner almost jumped and shouted in joy, but only managed to restrain herself when the Fayth continued.

"But they will return as spirits."

Yuna blinked as she tried to understand. "What?"

"Lenne and Shuyin will return to Spira as beings that may seem real, as any other ordinary human being, but at a price. They will not be fully human. They will only experience a part of life."

"How will they be able to live fully again?"

"They will have to save Spira. Save Spira from its past. And they will need your help."

Yuna, confused, opened her mouth to question what that meant, but the Fayth suddenly disappeared. The darkness returned for a brief moment before she opened her eyes to the moonlit ceiling of the tent.

She could hardly sleep again that night.

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**A/N :** Ah, I hope that's good. :D I tried my best to make it long... and it's actually pretty good right now. Hehe. But please review and tell me what you think! Thank you so much!


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